Pantaenius Pittwater Regatta Day 2
by Di Pearson / RPAYC media 14 Feb 08:24 GMT
13-15 February 2026
Crazy conditions and another grey day until the sun appeared as the racing came to an end, but at least the rain held off at the 2026 Pantaenius Australia Pittwater Regatta that opened today, as those competitors in the NSW ORC Championship settled into Day 2 of their competition.
Yachts entered in the three-day ORC Championship, supported by Sydney Marine Brokerage, contested two races on inshore courses today and will switch to offshore windward/leeward races on the Palm Beach Circle for tomorrow's finale, commencing from 11.30am - should the weather gods decree.
ORC Championship
The ORC fleet waited under an AP flag, as light air prevailed inshore and officials at Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC) were forced to change the course three times. Patience paid off.
Top three results for Division 1 in Race 2, mirrored those of yesterday's Race 1, although the corrected times were closer today, with Crazy Diamond (John Bacon) taking the win again from Seeking Alpha (David Hamilton) and LCE Old School Racing (Mark Griffith).
Crazy Diamond and Seeking Alpha topped the scoreboard again in Race 3, while Daguet 2 (Rob Aldis/Peter Byford made their first appearance in the top three with third place. It means Crazy Diamond and Seeking Alpha are at the top of the overall board with a day remaining. They will be hard to topple.
Division 2's Race 2 replicated two of yesterday's top three, though in a different order. Justified, Tomas Simpson/Andrew Lygo's J/111, won after finishing second yesterday, but there was an error at the time, showing Young at Heart in second. Garry Essex's J/99, Veloce was second and Garry Gudmunson's Organised Chaos (Race 1 winner) was third.
It swung back Gudmunson's way in Race 3, giving him the series lead by 6.5 points to Justified. Joe De Kock's KD4 placed second in Race 3, with third going to last year's winner, Local Hero (David Davies).
"The morning race was very shifty - 5-10 knots - shifting 5 to 20 degrees. A normal Pittwater crappy easterly," said local, Gudmunson. "We got on wrong side of some and the right side of others.
"In the second race, we won the start and got the shift we wanted. We played the game and scored the win. The breeze had swung more east and nor' east by this race at 8-10 knots. It was steadier. Being a Pittwater local, we knew where it was going to come from. My elderly team did a good job, but are all worn out," Gudmunson declared with a laugh.
Super 40 local showdown
On the same course as the ORC fleet, the Supers suffered the same delay. Michael Ritchie won the opener by over 2 minutes with Revolver, the Ritchie 38 designed by his father, Bruce. Last year's winner, Ross Hennessy's Ker 40 Mk3, Condor and Gerry Hatton's MAT 1220, Bushranger filled out the top three.
Ritchie re-loaded and took the second race from Peter Higgins' Black Sparrow - which was lucky to make the regatta as Higgins was dependent on a part to arrive in time - and third went to Condor. All placegetters are local boats. Racing concludes tomorrow when it will be on for young and old again.
"It was very tricky, an easterly in Pittwater, and it's never an easy breeze in Pittwater," Ritchie confessed. "My dad will be pleased to see we won with our little wooden boat against all the others.
"The Super 40 fleet coming together like this has been really wonderful and the range of boats is fantastic," he said of the classy field of nine. "I think the racing everyone had today was great. Even though they were passage races, there were passing lanes," Ritchie, a proponent of the Super 40s said.
"The configuration of boats has changed at this regatta, that's for sure. It's really nice to see the Black Sparrow guys here. They've only just put their mast in the boat, had little time to tune it, so obviously they have a lot more in them."
Pittwater Cup
In unusual circumstances, those taking part in the Pittwater Cup sailed the entire 5 Heads Challenge 20 mile course through Pittwater and Broken Bay under spinnaker. Why? Because the breeze kept shifting,,, and shifting,,, and the pressure was up and down between 8 and 15 knots. It looked as pretty as, with so many coloured kites and a scenic course. Sheer bliss!
Top three were all sailing royalty. Ritchie Allanson, an ex-sailmaking pedigreed Etchells and offshore sailor, took his Newport 9, Ultime to victory from former 18 foot skiff champion, Michael Coxon on his Cole 30, Anitra May. Multiple and current Sydney 38 One-Design NSW titleholder, David Hudson, scored third with Conspiracy.
"We had a wonderful day," Allanson declared. "We decided to bring the boat up from Sydney because it was a good opportunity to do this regatta."
A good start evolved into a win, but, as Allanson said, "We had to work on keeping our air clear, then manage our way through the two divisions that started ahead of us. It was a lovely day out. I've done very little sailing on the Hawkesbury and found it has more current, so more challenges and more opportunities.
"We're one of the smallest boats in fleet, at 9 metres, so were particularly pleased with how we went against the larger boats. The Cape 31 (David Ross' Kukukerchu which finished sixth today) is the closest in performance to our boat, being a similar size."
For the first time, 86 boats were racing, up on last year's fleet and taking in the ORC Championship, Pittwater Cup, incorporating the inaugural Performance 40 division, plus Super 40 division and the Grand Soleil Yachts Cup.
Ashore, the party started where it left off last evening, crews again enjoying the nightly prize-giving, sponsor giveaways, a barbecue, pop up bar and DJ.
For full results and all information please visit: www.pittwaterregatta.au.